After 29 years at Square Enix, Tatsuya Kando has announced his departure. Kando may be best known for his work on The World Ends With You which has made him beloved by JRPG fans worldwide. Kando has been more than just a director on Square Enix games. Previous credits also include character animation on various Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts games.

Translated from the above post:

On a personal note, I left Square Enix Co., Ltd. on May 31st. During my twenty nine years there, I was involved in many projects, including “Final Fantasy,” “Kingdom Hearts,” “The World Ends with You,” and many more… I was able to gain invaluable experience.

This is not an indication that Kando is out of the game development world. In a follow up tweet he has indicated he will continue to work hard creating interesting content. So while this means a departure from Square Enix, we have not seen the last of Tatsuya Kando just yet. At the time of this article, we do not know whether he will join another development company or launch his own. Gamer Social Club will continue to monitor this and see what his next steps may be.

In the mean time, fans can always visit his previous works. For those who are looking to play his games the chance is still there. First in the series, The World Ends With You, is still available on Nintendo Switch after a run on Nintendo DS and mobile. Its sequel NEO: The World Ends with You, received a larger release on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Windows in 2021. Both games feature a cast of characters playing the Reapers’ Game in Shibuya.

In the first game, play as Neku Sakuraba, unsure of the causes of his death. Over the course of three weeks, see if Neku can make his way back to the world of the living. The sequel NEO is a more modernized take with new characters and time rewind as well. If you’re looking to play either of these titles, NEO does have some spoilers for the first in the series.

Have you played any of Kando’s previous works? If so, let us know how you enjoyed them down below.